The last week I’ve had to get an official transcript from two schools.

Each transcript was $10. At SMU, the person working the registrar’s office took my $10, clicked the computer a few times, printed my transcript, put it through a folding machine, and put it in an envelope. The whole process took less than a minute.

Why the $10 SMU? Is it the folding machine? It was the size of a printer. Is that where the $10 are going? Did you not get enough money from me while I was enrolled? Are you not ashamed of asking me for donations AND taking my $10? That’s not making me want to donate.

At UTD, I had to order the transcript online. I could not get one in person. The computer took my $10. That didn’t make me feel better. Was the $10 going to computer maintenance? Because I just spent 30 minutes fighting the damn computer system for an unofficial transcript. I tried on 3 different computers. I tried 3 different browsers on each computer. It doesn’t look like that computer system is working too well. It also makes me wish you were more like SMU and their folding machine.

Last year I got a transcript from my undergraduate school, St Edward’s University (SEU). I filled out an application. The person clicked some stuff on the computer, ran it through a folding machine, and gave it to me.

It was free.

I can’t wait to live in a world where I don’t get nickel and dimed ( or is that nickled and dimed? ) .